Musical instrument



Nov. 14, 1950 M. c. ALEXANDER 2,529,584

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 1, 1947 Inventor l5 Mbck 6. Alexander T" @MM Patented Nov. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Mack 0. Alexander, Charlotte, N. 0.

Application August 1, 1947, Serial No. 765,315

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in musical instruments, more specifically musical instruments commonly known as the J ews harp, and the principal object of the invention is to provide an instrument of the character herein described, wherein musical tones are produced by a vibratory reed disposed in a hollow housing which is held against the mouth.

A further object of the invention is to provide a musical instrument which has a range of pitch or tone suitable for the playing of almost any songs.

Another object of the invention is to provide a musical instrument which may be easily and conveniently actuated.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a musical instrument which is simple in construction, which will not easil become damaged. and which will readily lend itself to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects in view and such other objects as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essentially of the construction and arrangement of parts as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

Figure 2 is an end view thereof, partially broken away, and taken in the direction of the arrow 2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail showing the attachment of a resilient member used in the invention;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the device shown in Figure 1, the same being taken in the plane of the line 4-4 in Figure 5; and

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 55 in Figure 4.

Like characters of reference are used to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a musical instrument designated generally by the reference character ID, the same embodying in its construction an elongated, hollow housing H, one end of which is open, a indicated at 82, while its remaining end is closed by means of an end wall I3.

The open end 12 of the housing Ii constitutes what may be referred to as a mouth-piece which will be hereinafter referred to by the same reference character (l2), and it will be noted that a vibratory reed I4 is mounted in the housing I i, as will be presently described.

5 Claims. (01. 84-173) The reed l4 consists of a strip of suitable material which is doubled upon itself, as at 15, so that it straddles, as it were, one of the side walls I6 of the housing ll, one end portion of the strip being further doubled upon itself, as at [1, so that the entire reed is firmly and securely mounted in position on the housing H.

The inner end of the strip which forms the reed I4 is angulated substantially as shown at l8, so as to provide what may be called an eye, the purpose of which will be hereinafter more fully described.

One end portion of an arm l9 is rigidly secured to the housing ll adjacent the closed end l3, the arm l9 projecting outwardly as is best shown in Figures 1 and 4., and constituting a support for a resilient member 20 whereby vibratory movement may be imparted to the reed 14.

The member 20 may simply assume the form of an elastic band, one end portion of which is folded over the free end portion of the arm [9 and is secured thereto by means of a wire fastener 2|. The elastic member 25] passes through a suitable aperture 22 formed in the end wall I3 of the housing ll, and the remainin end of the member is connected or anchored to the aforementioned eye iii of the reed M, as indicated at 23.

When the instrument is placed in use, the mouth-piece [2 of the housing II is simply held against the mouth of the player, who easily and effectively varies the tone, pitch and volume by.

simply changing the form and shape of his oral cavity. The musical tones themselves are produced by plucking the member 20 with the finger, whereby vibration is imparted to the reed It will be observed that an instrument constructed in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention may be easily and conveniently played, and that the player using the same can become skilled in the successful actuation thereof within a short period of time.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be understood from the foregoing disclosure, and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A musical instrument, comprising in combination, a hollow housing including an opening forming a mouth-piece, a vibratory reed mounted in said housing, a projecting arm secured to said housing, and a stretched resilient member secured to said reed and to said arm.

2. A musical instrument, comprising in combination, an elongated hollow housing having an open end and a closed end, said open end forming a mouth-piece, said closed end bein formed with an aperture, a vibratory reed mounted in said housing, a projecting arm secured at one end thereof to said housing, and a stretched resilient member secured at one end thereof to the free end portion of said arm, said member passing through said aperture and the remaining'end thereof bein secured to said reed.

3. In a musical instrument, an elongated hollow housing including a fiat side wall having outer and inner surfaces, a vibratory reed comprising a strip of material extending longitudinally of said housing and engaging the outer surface of said side wall, said strip having angulated end portions extending into said housing and engaging the inner surface of said wall, and means for vibrating said reed.

4. The device as defined in claim 3 wherein said means include an arm secured to and eX- tending outwardly from said housing, and a resilient actuating member stretched between one end portion of said strip and the outer end of said arm.

5. The device as defined in claim 3 wherein said housing includes an end wall formed with an aperture, said member extending through said aperture and having angularly offset portions disposed at the opposite sides of said end wall.

MACK C. ALEXANDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 320,440 McMahel June 16, 1885 1,651,448 -Dusinberre Dec. 6, 1927 

